Dark, beautiful and a little bit dangerous, the vivacious gypsy girl Carmen has been
captivating hearts for nearly 250 years.

Every so often, a mezzo-soprano emerges who can do more than just sing the role
– she can inhabit it. It takes a certain fire, a certain physicality, and a
certain throatiness to really sell the feisty Carmen to an audience.

As she draws Escamillo and Don José to her flame, the audience needs to cheer
for this provocative woman from the wrong side of the tracks.

Spanish mezzo Nancy Fabiola Herrera is emerging as the Carmen-of-the-moment. With
dark hair, a Latin temperament and an alluring physicality on stage, Herrera is in
demand around the world to sing Bizet’s lead, travelling from the Metropolitan
Opera in New York to the Deutsche Oper Berlin to the Sydney Opera House in 2014.

She shares the role with Milijana Nikolic, who performed the role so spectacularly
at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour last year.

This production of Carmen is based on the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and
Norwegian National Opera co-production first performed at Covent Garden in 2006.

Photo Gallery

Carmen Production Photos

Video

A Listening Guide to Carmen

“Carmen sets the stage alight"

Sydney Morning Herald

“Dmytro Popov is the ideal Don Jose”

Sydney Morning Herald

The action takes place in Seville in the mid-19th century. Don José, who
was training for the priesthood in his native Basque country, killed a man in a quarrel
and has had to enlist in the army in Seville. His mother and Micaëla, who loves
him and hopes to marry him, have followed him to the south and live in a village near
the city.

ACT I

A square in Seville

While Moralès and his soldiers are chatting about the passers-by, Micaëla
comes looking for Don José, a corporal. Moralès explains that Don José
is in another company that will shortly take over the guard, but Micaëla decides
not to wait. The new guard led by Zuniga arrives, followed by a swarm of children.
Moralès tells Don José that Micaëla was asking for him. While Zuniga
is curious about the tobacco factory women who work nearby, Don José is uninterested.

The cigarette women come out of the factory for a break. Carmen attracts most of
the attention, but she tells the men that she will love only someone who does not
love her. She tosses a flower to Don José who, perturbed by the gesture, quickly
hides it. Micaëla returns with a letter to Don José from his mother in which
she forgives him his crime and asks him to return to marry Micaëla.

Uproar in the factory spills out into the square as Carmen and another woman quarrel.
Carmen insolently refuses to answer for her fight, so Zuniga orders her to be imprisoned.
Don José is left to guard her, but she promises to love him if he helps her escape.
Don José lets her go and is himself arrested.

ACT II

Lillas Pastia's tavern

Carmen, Frasquita, Mercédès and the gypsies are dancing. The victorious
torero Escamillo arrives with a crowd of admirers. He is drawn to Carmen but she shows
no interest. The crowd and soldiers leave.

The smugglers Remendado and Dancaïre try to enlist the help of Carmen, Frasquita
and Mercédès in some of their plans. Carmen refuses: she is in love and
waiting for Don José. Incredulous and mocking, the men suggest she brings Don
José with her.

Having been released from prison, Don José arrives and Carmen dances for him.
When he responds to the summons back to barracks Carmen accuses him of not loving
her. In answer, Don José describes how in prison he treasured the flower she
threw at him. If he really loves her, Carmen says, he will desert the army and go
with her to the mountains. Zuniga reappears to meet Carmen and he discourages Don
José. They fight, but when Remendado and Dancaïre disarm Zuniga, José
decides to join the smugglers, leaving behind his former life.

INTERVAL

ACT III

In the mountains

The smugglers rest while a safe route to Seville is reconnoitred. Don José
is still obsessed with Carmen; she, however, is tired of him but senses that he may
kill her if she leaves him.

Frasquita and Mercédès read their fortunes in the cards; when Carmen
joins them she only turns up cards that foretell her death. Dancaïre and Remendado
return, and the gypsy women leave, enthusiastic at their task of distracting the customs
officers who have been spotted on the smugglers' route. Don José is left
to guard the contraband.

Micaëla comes alone looking for Don José. A shot frightens her and she
hides; it was Don José firing at an intruder: Escamillo. Having heard that Carmen
no longer loves her soldier, Escamillo has come after her. Enraged at this, Don José
appears and challenges Escamillo to a fight. They are interrupted by Carmen herself.
Escamillo invites the assembled company to his next bullfight in Seville and leaves.
Still jealous, Don José threatens Carmen.

Micaëla is discovered in hiding. She begs Don José to return to his mother,
who is calling for him. Carmen urges him to go. He is suspicious of her motives for
encouraging him, but when Micaëla reveals that his mother is dying and wants
to forgive him, he agrees to return with her. Escamillo is heard in the distance.

ACT IV

Outside a bullring in Seville

A crowd has gathered to watch the procession before the bullfight. Escamillo is
accompanied by Carmen. Her friends Frasquita and Mercédès warn her that
Don José is in the crowd. She decides to wait and talk to him, but when they
meet he pleads with her to go away with him. She will not, as she no longer loves
him. As the crowd is heard cheering Escamillo's success at killing the bull, Carmen
confesses she now loves the torero and returns Don José's ring. He kills
her.